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University of Houston System Chancellor Names Sole Finalist For UH-Victoria President

June 6, 2011-Houston-

Philip D. Castille has been selected as the sole finalist for the presidency of the University of Houston-Victoria.

Castille, a veteran educator, respected scholar and experienced administrator, currently holds the position of special assistant to the chancellor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Previously, he served as vice chancellor for academic affairs at that institution. Castille also served as a professor of English at the University of Houston-Downtown from 1981-1994.

UH System Chancellor Renu Khator made the sole finalist recommendation today to UH System Board of Regents Chair Carroll Robertson Ray. Texas law requires that the board give public notice at least 21 days prior to a meeting in which final action is taken on the employment of a university chancellor or president. The UHS board can meet any time on or after June 27, 2011 to confirm Castille.

“Dr. Castille offers a wealth of administrative experience, academic insight and personal commitment to the ideals of higher education,” said Chancellor Khator. “We are fortunate to have someone of his caliber available to continue our efforts to help UHV fully realize its potential as a destination university.”

Khator thanked the search committee, chaired by UH-Clear Lake President William Staples, and praised the leadership of Don Smith, who has served as interim president at UHV since August 2010.

Castille expressed excitement at the prospect of being confirmed as the next president of UHV.

“I greatly enjoyed my visit to the campus this spring,” he said. “I look forward to getting to know the students, faculty and staff and working with the whole community to plan our future as a fast-developing institution with a strong reputation for student success.”

Castille cited his decade-plus tenure at UH-Downtown as the foundation for “the basic lessons I have learned about the importance of higher education.” As a result, he said, “the opportunity to return to the UH System is very fulfilling.”

Castille earned a Ph.D. in English from Tulane University as well as a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and English. He has a master’s degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He has held positions at Tulane, the University of Memphis, Louisiana Tech University and Eastern Washington University, where he was the founding dean of the College of Arts & Letters.

Castille is married and has a young son, Edward.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM

The University of Houston System is a comprehensive system of education serving to further the intellectual capital and economic strength of the Texas Gulf Coast region. The UH System includes the University of Houston, a nationally recognized Tier One public research university; the University of Houston-Downtown, a four-year undergraduate university expanding into graduate programs; the University of Houston-Victoria, a four-year university with undergraduate and master’s level degree programs; and the University of Houston- Clear Lake, an upper-division and master’s level institution. The system also includes two branch campuses, UH-Clear Lake Pearland and UH Northwest, as well as two multi-institution teaching centers, UH System Sugar Land and UH System Cinco Ranch. In addition, the System own and operates KUHF-FM, Houston’s National Public Radio station; KUHA-FM, Houston’s 24-hour classical music station; and KUHT-TV, the nation’s first educational television station. To learn more about the UH System, visit http://www.uhsa.uh.edu/